Every so often a piece of theatre news lands in my inbox and makes me smile before I have even finished the first line. This is one of those.
Peoples Theatre has found its Sleeping Beauty and its Prince, and rehearsals are officially under way for the African Premiere of Sleeping Beauty The Musical.
This brand new adaptation of the timeless classic runs from 3 November to 24 December 2026, and if you have ever watched a room full of children gasp when the lights go down, you will understand why I am so excited about this one.
Wearing the tiara as the beautiful, feisty Princess Aurora is Gabrielle De Gama, with Tumelo Mogashoa as the charismatic Prince Perrault. Two exceptional young talents, and two very lucky audiences waiting to meet them.
Gabrielle is a versatile young South African performer, singer and actress with a real passion for musical theatre, storytelling and dance.
Here is the part that warms my heart. Her journey began at an early age, and some of her earliest theatre credits were right here at Peoples Theatre, in Annie Jnr and Seussical the Musical. There is something rather lovely about a young performer coming home to the very stage that helped her find her feet, this time as the princess.
On screen, Gabrielle played young Reyka in the Emmy nominated South African crime drama Reyka, and she has also appeared in Netflix’s Soccer Season: Playmaker.
She is a recording artist too, signed to Virgin Music under the stage name Jaydn Elle, with music video releases including Sithandane and Do 4 Love. With a mezzo soprano range and experience across stage, screen, music and dance, she brings warmth and imagination to Aurora in equal measure.
Tumelo’s story starts across the ocean. He began acting as a young amateur in the USA, trained at the Round House Theatre workshops and had his very first amateur performance in The King and I.
He came home to finish high school at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg, then went on to graduate from the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA) in Cape Town as a proper triple threat.
At LAMTA he performed in Mephisto, COSI and Being Steve, among others, and he has just wrapped up the successful run of Spring Awakening. He was also cast in the international touring production of Disney’s The Magic Box, playing the lovable old Goofy.
Since then he has worked as a freelance artist across community theatre and the professional stage, and now he makes his Peoples Theatre debut as the Prince. What a way to arrive.
Producer and director Jill Girard describes the moment she found them in a way that gave me goosebumps.
“Sometimes, very rarely, someone walks into an audition room and magic happens and they are just perfect for the role. This time, two dazzling young talented actors arrived within 15 minutes of each other and I knew we had found our Princess Aurora and her handsome Prince! Now let the magic begin!”
Jill Girard, Producer and Director
Fifteen minutes apart. If that is not a little fairy dust at work, I do not know what is.
Joining Gabrielle and Tumelo to complete the adult leads are Donae Brazer as Queen Catherine, Gamelihle “Game” Bovana as King Henry, Luciano Zuppa as the wicked Hellisent and Priyanka Bandy as Fairy Tulip.
Now for the story itself, because this is not quite the fairy tale you remember.
With all original songs, Sleeping Beauty The Musical follows Princess Aurora on a journey of self discovery. Cursed as a child, she is raised in hiding, until a chance meeting with Prince Perrault sets the wheels in motion for an exciting and rather dangerous adventure.
Hunted by the wicked Hellisent, Aurora has to find her own path, balancing royal duty with the pursuit of her own dreams. Will Hellisent steal the throne from King Henry, or will Aurora reclaim her rightful place in the Kingdom of Australis?
Expect magical fairies, raven spies and a whole host of wonderful characters along the way.
The show has been casting more than a little bit of magic in theatres all over the world, and this is the very first time it comes to Africa. Writer and lyricist Ian Curran shared how much this production means to him.
“I am very excited for the African premiere of Sleeping Beauty The Musical. To see families come together and experience the warmth and magic of this show is always so special, and now to have this incredible cast bring my words to life so beautifully on the stage in a brand new production in South Africa, is a true gift.”
Ian Curran, Writer and Lyricist
That word, families, is the heart of it all. Peoples Theatre makes theatre for children with real care, and you can feel that in everything they do. Their productions are often a child’s very first taste of live theatre, and that first taste matters.
This one is packed with laughter, magical moments and plenty of audience participation, so everyone gets to join in, boys and girls alike. It is perfect for school groups, families and children of all ages.
And underneath the sparkle sits a message worth taking home. Good will always triumph over evil, and true love, patience and resilience can overcome even the most wicked curse. Above all, kindness and love will always win.
Whether your little ones are cheering on the Prince or watching the colourful fairies weave their spells, I think they will leave believing a little more in their own bravery. Quite possibly, so will you.
Sleeping Beauty The Musical is produced by Peoples Productions in collaboration with Joburg Theatre, and presented by arrangement with Curran Media Group Ltd. Book and lyrics are by Ian Curran, with music by Simon Hanson and Peter Vint.
Dates: Tuesday 3 November to Thursday 24 December 2026, at Peoples Theatre.
School shows: Tuesday to Friday at 09:00 and 11:00.
Public shows: 10:30 and 14:30 on Saturdays, Sundays and during the school holidays.
Tickets: R180 per person for the public, R145 for Peoples Theatre Kids Club members and R155 for members of the public accompanying Kids Club members. School bookings are open and filling up quickly, so contact the theatre directly for school group rates.
Bookings: Call 011 877 6841, email info@peoplestheatre.co.za, book online at www.joburgtheatre.com or via Webtickets.
Please book early to avoid disappointment. It is the perfect way to end the year with a little theatre magic, and I cannot wait to see Aurora and her Prince bring this kingdom to life.
